New York Minute: Public Clocks That Make the City Tick

Before watches and mobile phones were widely accessible, people relied on public clocks to keep them running on time. New York City has long been adorned by extravagant public clocks--towers, pediments, skyscrapers, building lobbies, and even sidewalks feature timepieces counting out the pulse of a great metropolis. In New York Minute, Matthew White provides a fascinating tour of fifty-three spectacular clocks, encouraging us to look up and behold the city in a new way.

The book's twelve chapters, each devoted to a particular category of clock, are ordered as one might move through the city, from workday to weekend. The journey begins at Grand Central Terminal, where the highest number of public clocks are concentrated within a single building, and which itself is crowned by an extravagant Gilded Age clock. As we move toward the weekend, time slows down when we visit iconic New York clocks while shopping, going to church, or taking in the delights of automaton clocks. We end with the clocks of the lost Pennsylvania Station and the contemporary clock in Moynihan Train Hall, the latter reminding us that public timepieces are here to stay.

New York Minute contains over 150 images, including historical and contemporary photos, and charming drawings by the author. Published in an attractive, giftable format, this timely book is for native New Yorkers and visitors alike.


Author: Matthew White
Publisher: Abbeville Press
Published: 10/07/2025
Pages: 192
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.40lbs
Size: 8.10h x 6.20w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9780789215178

About the Author
White, Matthew: - Matthew White is a noted interior designer, antiquarian, and preservationist, and a former ballet dancer. He is the author of Italy of My Dreams: The Story of an American Designer's Real-life Passion for Italian Style. An emeritus board member and former chairman of Save Venice Inc., he currently lives in the Hudson Valley with his husband and two dachshunds while working to revitalize the historic hamlet of Hillsdale, New York.Goodman, Wendy: - Wendy Goodman is Curbed and New York Magazine's design editor. She began as the magazine's fashion editor in 1984 and began writing the "Design Hunting" column in 2007. She is the author of The World of Gloria Vanderbilt and May I Come In?: Discovering the World in Other People's Houses.